Alex walked up the small hill outside the sparring courts and could hear the shouts of men cheering on their fellow comrades. This was the only place he could imagine Isabelle to be in so he walked through the entrance, determined to find where exactly she was.
He immediately spotted Annie’s brother, Maliki, on the stands, watching and examining the mock battles. Maliki seemed to be staring in only one direction and as Alex followed his gaze towards the direction in which Maliki was intently staring, he found Isabelle finishing one of her battles-victorious. A small cheer erupted from the men as they rooted for Isabelle.
“Hello Prince,” a playful voice, teased behind him.
“Nice to meet you too, Sir Timothy,” Alex said sarcastically at his friend.
“What brings you here to this side of the estate? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your wedding my friend?” Timothy asked, raising his eyebrow suspiciously. He knew that Alex came not to greet and join him, but for his own purposes.
“I was just walking around, clearing my head. Do not mind me. I am only a spectator to your mock battles.” Alex walked side-by-side with Timothy as he slowly led them towards Isabelle’s direction.
“Are you still scared of holding a sword? When your father made me teach you, the result wasn’t that memorable,” Timothy said, carefully choosing his words.
“I may have been a coward before but I have learned how to wield a sword,” Alex scoffed, reassuring his friend.
“Do you want to prove me wrong, Prince?” Timothy smirked, his eyes glinting challengingly. This only made Alex grin and shrug.
“It will be one hell of a show,” Alex warned. Timothy bent his head back, laughing, but followed Alex’s request. He grabbed an extra armor and his own sword for his friend.
“You break this sword and I would have to kill you even if it means my own funeral,” Timothy warned, handing the specially crafted metal to his trusted friend.
“I would like to see that, my friend,” Alex smirked, slapping his friend’s back playfully.
“We will see won’t we?” Timothy said, gesturing to the crowd of men with his head. “Are you ready to test just how well you’ve become?”
Alex only grinned as he walked past his smiling friend. All the men instantly formed a line at their prince’s approach, all standing in attention to their prince. Alex looked at each one of them nervously, but hid his emotion like he was taught.
“Please carry on. I’m only here to observe,” Alex smiled politely at nothing in particular as he walked across the line of men. He was playing his part.
As he kept walking, he saw a smaller figure in line that stuck out from the other men. He instantly recognized Isabelle and found his grin stretch further into a real smile.
“Miss Isabelle, may I challenge you to a duel?” Alex asked. He could see the shock on her face and then it became a narrowed look.
“I do not wish to hurt you, Prince Alexander. It would be a shame for you if I accept your challenge,” Isabelle answered shortly.
“Are you trying to say that you think you can beat me?” Alex said aloud, knowing his open question would pressure her to accept. She looked downwards but Alex saw her grimace at the offensive remark he had made. He knew he had struck a chord because Isabelle slowly lifted her face with a dangerous green-eyed look that Alex often received when he had wronged Isabelle.
“Do you dare to challenge me, Prince?” Isabelle asked, mocking his title by emphasizing it. The men around them shifted uncomfortably as one of their best fighters and the prince were butting heads.
“Was I not clear, Miss?” Alex replied in the same manner Isabelle had. The tension on the field was unbearable as the other men began to step back, leaving Isabelle open to face the prince.
Alex swung Timothy’s sword playfully, teasing her to wield her own.
Isabelle knew Alex was testing her patience and teasing her but she didn’t want to injure the prince. She was supposed to protect him after all! However her pride rose and she reminded herself that it was only a mock battle and it was considered to be a ‘friendly’ game.
She quickly took out her own sword and reflected the swinging sword, making Alex flinch. A few men chuckled as Alex looked around, shooting daggers with his eyes, shutting the men into silence.
“I am a woman of honor. I accept your challenge,” Izzy said, smirking.
Alex gave a short exaggerated grin and swung the sword again, this time a little too close to her face than she would have liked. Isabelle scowled which only made Alex’s grin deepen. He shrugged as he watched her get fueled up with anger and energy.
“Friendly battle, okay?” Timothy shouted, looking at his two friends. He was afraid one of them was going to get hurt, especially when one played her strategy by anger and the other barely had any experience.
“Yes,” they both answered at the same time. They turned to each other and bowed formally like gentlemen.
“You are a woman Isabelle. It is best if you act like one,” Alex taunted. Timothy noticed Isabelle’s cheeks flush in anger and immediately knew Alex’s tactic. He was doing something he was very good at. Playing with emotions.
“You are a noble prince and you are here instead of aiding your future wife,” Izzy spat back.
Alex twitched at the word ‘wife’ and Timothy and Izzy knew Alex also carried a weakness.
“Not ready to get married yet?” she taunted.
“Let us get over with this,” Alex growled and lunged for Izzy. She easily side-stepped his attack and reflected his sharp sword without moving, but he had one thing on his side for sure: strength.
Izzy didn’t know where he had obtained the strength over the past few years but she didn’t let that stop her. She gave them distance so she could recover but Alex wasted no time. He came at her again but this time she held her ground and prepared for him.
Their swords clashed, making everyone flinch at the loud sound carried across the silent field. Maliki sat high above the two opponents and watched as they moved gracefully, reflecting each other’s movements as if they were a couple dancing, knowing the other’s move before it happened.
His fingers itched, wanting the familiar feeling of some parchment paper and ink where he could draw the scene in front of him. He imagined curving Isabelle’s figure as she posed to attack while Alexander stood ready to counteract it, determination on his face.
As he was filling his head with an image of fighting, Alex began to think of a plan that might end the battle. He was getting a little tired and blamed his lack of practice for the reason he was more out of shape than he planned.
The others were very impressed at Alex’s performance and saw hope in their future king but he knew he had to finish it before he would be too weak to fight back. He knew he only had strength on his side and he had to use it wisely. Watching Izzy carefully, he waited for an opportunity to attack like a hawk waiting for his little mouse.
Izzy was frustrated as she kept fighting to get into Alex’s space but he had done a good job at blocking her, blowing her sword with a harsh sound of metal clashing. At the corner of her eye, she saw Timothy watch, clearly impressed at Alex’s exceeded improvement.
“So what’s your secret?” she asked as they circled around, watching the other.
“School has aided me not only in education but also in something…productive,” he said, choosing his words carefully with brilliance.
“Then show me productiveness,” Izzy taunted once more before they began to attack again. Izzy watched carefully and noted his amateur footwork and smirked. Even though he had strength, there was one thing she could use as an advantage.
Izzy began to attack, using complicated footwork that required Alex to focus more on his feet than his hands. As she kept luring him into the trap, she finally saw an opportunity. Leaving no more time, she moved in and struck, causing Alex’s sword to slip out of his hand and clatter to the dirt.
There was a moment of silence as everyone stood in awe, taking in the scene. Alex was the first one to move as he turned his head slightly away from the blade that threatened to cut his flesh. He looked at Izzy, a little frazzled but fairly impressed at her skills. She stared back at him with those intense green eyes that sparked with life. It made Alex’s world stop and focus only on those eyes.
The men’s clapping and cheering cut their moment off and they both stepped back, feeling insecure and embarrassed, but no one seemed to notice except Maliki. Even from a far distance he felt the spark the two shared when they looked at each other. A small spark of jealousy crawled through his head and his skin itched, wanting his body to go down there and take her away from him but he simply watched in silence as he had always done.
“Good game, Miss Isabelle,” Alex said amiably, smiling to make a show that he wasn’t embarrassed at all. Izzy only gave him a narrowed look at the title and bent to grab the fallen sword on the ground.
“Did I not warn you, Prince? Surely my intentions were clear,” Izzy said playfully, trying to get under his skin, but it wasn’t working.
As the men began to part ways into their own mock battles, Alex smiled and went over to her, towering her by a couple inches. He looked down at her, emphasizing the height difference.
“I am out of practice. Give me a few weeks and I assure you I will be a changed man,” Alex smirked, giving her one of his cocky grins.
“Wielding a sword isn’t the only thing you need to change,” Izzy muttered as she began to walk away.
She didn’t know why she had said it but she was tired of convincing herself that he was nothing but a prince to protect. The friendly way he acted around her and all the jokes made her confused at what his intentions were. And most importantly she didn’t understand why he wasn’t with his future wife, getting ready for the big ceremony. It was uncommon for a couple to be separated, especially if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks.
“Wait Isabelle, what you mean?” he called out, jogging up to her. She tried to walk faster but his long legs made it easier said than done. She tried to despise him even more but her mind floated to an image of Alex’s legs and then his body.
Izzy groaned in frustration at the thought of thinking so maturely about the prince. A soon-to-be-wedded prince at that!
“Are you trying to offend me?” Alex asked a hint of hurt in his voice. His eyes twitched at the thought of Izzy ridiculing him. He wanted to earn her respect, not for her to look down on him.
“No Alexander,” she sighed, turning around so that they finally stood in front of each other. “It was out of line for me to say that and for that, I apologize,” she bowed with her head low before she walked away.
“Wait, Isabelle!” he called out, but she kept on walking without turning around once. He was tempted to run after her and considered it further when someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Just leave her be mate,” Timothy said, patting his friends back. “You have a whole future ahead of you with Annie.”
“Timothy…I-” Alex began but he had a hard time finishing it. He couldn’t confide in anyone about what he felt inside. He wanted Isabelle for himself and to hold her when she needed comfort but he knew that could never happen. “Never mind.”
“You like her,” Timothy finished for his friend. Timothy didn’t know why anyone else hadn’t noticed but he had watched Izzy and Alex closely since the day Alex came back. The two had always loathed one another, but separation and time had done them well.
“Timothy…you know I can’t,” Alex said guiltily, as he thought of Annie. He couldn’t do that to her or his kingdom. He was the only son and it was his duty to take the crown with a powerful wife, not a wife without any social status.
“So, you like her mate,” Timothy said, playing with those words as a smirk grew across his face.
“Yes, I do like her comrade. What is wrong with me?” Alex sighed in defeat.
“Well, this is an interesting turn of events,” a voice spoke behind them. Timothy and Alex turned around to see Maliki standing with his arms crossed. His eyes weren’t hostile but had a curious and amused glitter to them.
Alex began to feel hot with embarrassment as he realized that this was Annie’s quiet brother, the only one who could now ruin the plans for both kingdoms.
“Are you saying that you heard all this?” Alex asked, cursing under his breath. Things wouldn’t turn out so well if Maliki told anyone about Alex’s confession.
“That is why I am here, standing before you, am I not?” Maliki asked, not in a disrespectful way, but a watchful one.
“You must not speak of this,” Timothy said quickly, going over to the other prince. “It will ruin both kingdoms!”
“I have knowledge of this and I will not let your feelings ruin either my sister’s wedding or the kingdom. Your secret is safe with me, however we must do something about those feelings of yours,” Maliki heard himself say. He had never been so bold to speak such long sentences, especially not devious ones.
He told himself that if he helped Alex, he would not only gain a friendship but also a separation that was needed between Izzy and Alex. Maliki knew Alex was a man of a good heart but he didn’t want to be alone anymore and Izzy was the only one who ever gave him their full attention.
“How will I do that?” Alex asked, frustrated more than curious.
“Simply stay away from her,” Maliki said, feeling guilt hung over his head. He felt sinful and disgraceful for saying such deceiving words but Alex seemed to be in agreement.
“Yes, I know. I should have never come here in the first place,” he muttered, running his hand through his hair. “I will restrain myself by removing myself from the presence of Isabelle. Thank you, both of you. I must get ready now for the dinner party later tonight. Until then gentlemen,” Alex nodded before making his way back to the palace with a disturbed mind at the work. He didn’t want to follow Maliki’s advice, but he knew that that was the only way to erase whatever attraction he felt to Isabelle.